Stolen
by Super Lizard
Summary: The Super Smash Tournament was not a voluntary contest, but a fight for everything the heroes knew and loved. AU?
1. Chapter 1

**Stolen**

**Super Smash Bros. Melee**

**Began 21:27 22 May 2007**

**by Super Lizard**

_I'm scratching this in blood because there's no other way_

_To let those in the future know that we were stolen away_

_This was no real contest_

_There was nothing voluntary about it_

_We've all killed, but I never hated myself for it before_

_I hate myself for it now_

_Tell the ones at home that I'm sorry_

_If you can find them before I join them_

_Don't mourn for my soul-- spit upon my ashes_

_I wasn't enough to save them_

**Chapter One-- Stolen Away**

Fox McCloud was never one to feel safe. After five years of fighting the worst of his galaxy and beyond, he figured on never relaxing again. This was not to say that he was uptight-- merely vigilant. But the worst things happen the moment one lets one's guard down, and this was no exception.

"Bridge to McCloud, Toad," ROB chattered mechanically. "Unknown radio and radiation interference approaching rapidly; awaiting advisory."

Fox was soundly asleep.

"Slippy to ROB, monitor all anomalies present within a 100 mile radius of the Great Fox," Slippy replied promptly, chipper despite having been awoken abruptly. "Raise all shields to 100; divert power from all non-essential systems. Crew, heads up."

"I'm on my way to the bridge," Peppy's voice joined him over the intercomm. "Fox, Falco, you guys awake?"

Fox was _very _soundly asleep.

"I'm up," Falco huffed over the intercomm. "I'll wake Fox and head to the bridge."

Slippy reached the bridge just moments before Peppy, and immediately went to the control panels to ascertain the unknown threat.

Falco, still in the bunk hall, pounded on Fox's door irately. "WAKE UP! We have to go save the system again. I mean it. Get up, you lazy bas--"

Back at the bridge, neither the frog, the rabbit, or the robot could decide exactly what was approaching them, but they did see fit to move. Before the Great Fox's engines could respond and move, a flash of light flowed through the windows and throughout the ship.

When Peppy regained consciousness, half the crew was gone.

Link was in the Temple of Time with the princess. As usual. The Sages were foretelling something ominous. As usual. There were few hints as to what the approaching Doom was. As usual.

And so, Link was heavily armed. As usual. He was feeling pretty secure with the Master Sword strapped to his back and the magic of the Sages on his side, and he was quite certain that whatever Ganondorf had in store, he could defeat it.

As usual.

If only business had been as usual, perhaps he would have been right; but, as a brilliant white light reached in through the cathedral windows and through the doors, stinging and burning and blinding, it became apparent that business was not as usual. Link threw himself over the princess instinctually, just before an amazing pressure crashed over him and he blacked out.

It was supposed to be a routine visit to the Mushroom Kingdom. Now that Bowser was defeated and Wario was defeated and... well, now that _everyone _was defeated, the plumbers had nothing to hold them to the kingdom but their friendships. They retired to the real world to resume their plumbing business, but that couldn't stop them from their past.

At first, normalcy had been like a vacation. But the old days came back... First in the form of infrequent nightmares that left one or the other of the brothers shaking for hours after awaking; then, panic attacks. Then, flashbacks. One would enter their apartment to find the other curled up on the couch, shivering, staring at nothing. Finally, they agreed to go back and reassure themselves that everything was okay without them.

The first time they went back to the Mushroom Kingdom, there had been a massive party at the palace. Peach and Daisy were thrilled to see them. The second time, a group of concerned citizens had put together a list of creatures that needed slaying and puzzles that needed solving. The third time, the fourth time, and so on, had been much like the second. And what was better, neither of them had nightmares or attacks while they were in the Mushroom Kingdom.

It became a habit. Every weekend, they would return, and every Monday morning they would be back in Brooklyn, fixing pipes and unclogging drains. The rhythm became natural, and for a short time, they were content. Some might even say happy.

Until they went down a pipe and, instead of ending up in the Mushroom Kingdom, they ended up wrapped in the most nightmarishly bright light they had ever seen.

The white light continued its tour, stopping in a small towns and large cities, on astroids and in castles, to pick up softball-sized two-coloured spheres, oddly-shaped balloon creatures, race car drivers, and world-savers. It collected in hundreds of dimensions, and upon the completion of its errand, its commander switched it off, and it dissipated as if it had never existed at all.

That commander-- an eight-foot tall hand-- observed his collection; each of these creatures were promising playthings. Each of these creatures had fought to preserve their world before; each of them would undoubtedly do so again. He was the hand that pulled the strings, and he would pull theirs. He would make these puppets dance. With the manipulation of a few buttons and levers, he had their unconscious forms removed to their own cells. _After all, _he thought logically, _No need for them to attack each other yet. Best let them wake up on their own._

He had them divided into three sets. First, there were the competitors: champions or heroes in their own worlds who would be easily coaxed into doing battle to save it again. Those creatures from the metal orbs, the princess and warrior from Hyrule; the array of creatures from that mushroom-riddled kingdom that irked him so; the acrobatic woman from the toxic world; the pompous race car driver with no marketable skills; the balloon creature, and the fox-man. Second, there were the villains: creatures as cruel as himself who would be instrumental in causing the others to fight. The dark man with the poorly-designed cape, the insane cat-creature, the 'koopa'_... thing..._

And the third were his very favourites. He would use them only if he had to, in order to force a tournament when all else failed. His hostages: the princesses, the green plumber, the bird-man, the tiny ADHD rat-creature, and his very favourite, the younger form of the warrior from Hyrule. He had reached through the fourth dimension to acquire the boy, and was very glad that he did.

_This will be the most interesting tournament yet._


	2. Chapter 2

_I don't know who will find this_

_I don't know where I am_

_But if you are here, _

_then may the Goddesses have mercy on you._

**Chapter Two-- Caged**

Link awoke slowly, sluggishly. From the back of his heels to the back of his head burned, as if he had fallen asleep in the sun. He pressed himself up to sit, wincing at the pain in his skull, and looked around.

It was too dark to discern anything at first-- he cast Din's Fire to get a glimpse of the room. Four metal walls. He could not see the ceiling. The floor was the same blue-grey steel as the walls. No door.

_At least the magic of the Goddesses hasn't left me. Where is Zelda?_ He stood and shook himself out, and checked for his tack and gear. _Everything is still here. Where is the princess?_ He knocked on each of the walls experimentally. One side sounded solid, the other three sounded hollow. On the last knock, there was a response.

Fox was unable to produce any light, and didn't chance a shot with his blaster lest it ricochet and strike him. Instead, he felt around the tiny cell until he found the walls. _Two metres by two metres by... really tall, _he determined mentally. Just as his hand found the last wall, there was a curious knock from the other side. He froze, then reached out a fist and knocked back.

"Hello?" Link called. There was no answer. "Anyone?" he called louder.

Fox thought he heard a voice from the other side, so he knocked again: once, thrice, five times, seven times, eleven times...

Link wrinkled his eyebrows at the pattern, but recognized it nonetheless. _Whoever it is on the other side, knows their prime numbers. _He reached out and knocked thirteen in a row, then stopped. _...Now what?_

In the cell opposite Link from his pattern-knocking companion, someone was screaming. On hero's instinct, Link shot to the other side of the cell, only to nearly crash into the wall. "Who's there?" Link called through the other wall. He pounded on the wall insistently.

Pounding echoed through Mario's cell, waking him abruptly from his nightmare only so he could encounter another. It was dark, and he was trapped, and he could only hear muffled voices and percussive sounds. In his mind, he was thrust back into a painting; his world was darkened not by his cell, but by his memory. He stopped screaming; his breathing stopped as his panic seized him, and he could do nothing but stare and hope to breath again.

The screaming stopped abruptly, and Link stopped pounding on the cell wall. He took a step back, and cast about the darkened cell for any way out. He looked up to the ceiling, but could see only a dim, grey light. He unhooked his hook shot from his belt, aimed it straight up, and fired-- only to dodge the hook and chain as it fell back to him. _That's a long way up, to have hit nothing. _He cursed his inability to do anything for the screaming man on the other side of the wall. _One more on my conscience. Great job, hero. _Frustrated, he kicked the third hollow wall. It rattled under the assault.

He froze, then kicked it again. It rattled further. Encouraged, he cast Nayru's Love and planted a bomb at the wall. After a few moments, the bomb exploded and rained fire on his translucent blue shield. The wall was gone, blown backwards with a clatter.

_As usual_.

A loud blast from next to his cell sent Fox to his feet immediately. He listened intently.

"Step away from this side," a voice called to him. "Take cover if you can."

He obeyed, and activated his personal reflector shield.

A moment later, the door was blown in, bounced off his shield, and flew back out.

Fox peered outside.

A young man in the goofiest possible green attire was standing aside, having narrowly dodged the door. He turned to Fox with a startled look.

"Thanks," was all Fox could think to say.

"No problem," was all Link could think to answer.

In the cell next to Fox's, a balloon creature was rolling about wildly, excited by all the noise. He tried to respond by spitting energy at the door, but he wasn't sure it got the point across.

"Did you hear screaming?" Link asked Fox.

"Yes, but it stopped when you started making all that noise," Fox replied. He paced part of the room where they now stood-- it was larger, by far, but still made of grey-blue steel. Fortunately, there were lights dispersed every few meters, appearing to float in mid-air. The effect was a rather unsettling mottled shadow. He couldn't see much beyond their immediate vicinity. "Do you hear _that?_"

Link watched with poorly-disguised fascination as Fox's ears swivelled around and pointed back at the cell block. "No, but I trust that you do. What is it?"

"It's like the sound of bells, except more percussive." He walked over to the wall panel next to his old cell. "Do you have any more bombs left?"

Link nodded and obliged, producing and lighting a bomb for the wall. "Step back and take cover," he shouted to the occupant of the maybe-cell, then stepped well away from the explosion. Fox did the same.

The bomb blew the door in. Then, a moment later, an angry, pink, spherical creature strutted out of the cell and spat the door back out at high speed. He studied them both suspiciously.

"Do you speak?" Fox asked the creature.

He shook his... body... no.

"But you can understand me?"

He bounced a yes.

Link squinted sideways at the creature, trying to decide what it reminded him of most. "I'm Link," he introduced himself, mostly to make his stare appear less rude. "Of Hyrule Kingdom."

The creature bowed politely.

"I'm Fox McCloud," Fox introduced, "Of the Lylat System."

The creature bowed again, and half-exhaled, half-growled his name. "Kirrrby."

"Kirby?" Fox confirmed. "Nice to meet you. Either of you know where we are?"

They gestured the negative.

Down the opposite side of the cell-block, a door blew out and a tall suit of armour strode out.

Fox cussed and drew his blaster, but did not aim. Kirby puffed up aggressively; Link drew his sword and slung out his shield.

The helm turned to regard them for a moment, then ignored them; the armoured figure turned and clanked down the cell-block, turned to a section of wall, and ground its fingers into the metal most unpleasantly. With a yank, the section of wall came free. This continued as it proceeded down the row.

From the first cell peered a boy in a baseball cap and a striped shirt. From the second, a blue-caped swordsman strode confidently out, weapon drawn, ready. From the third, a green dinosaur creature slid out with a troubled expression. From the last, there was no one; the armoured figure went into the cell, and returned with a handful of red-and-white metal spheres of an indeterminable nature. With its helm tipped to the side curiously, it prodded the spheres, turned them, rolled them, and finally activated them.

They popped open, and in a strange blink of light, three animal-like creatures appeared; two yellow and black rats, and a purplish balloon... thing. The armoured figure peered at them curiously, then wandered back up the cell block.

The green dinosaur was insistently pawing and head-butting the remaining section of wall which stood between Link's and the armoured figure's former cell. The armoured figure strode over and dug its fingers into the metal door. Upon tearing it away, there was a horrifying scream. Unphased, the metal form went into the cell, the green creature right behind her.

The others exchanged glances.

"Hello," the cap-wearing boy greeted nervously. He used his thumb to push his glasses up his nose. "I am Ness."

Introductions proceeded as the screams from the cell stopped slowly.

Marth strode over to the cell, then sniffed in contempt and wandered away to explore the rest of the room.

Puzzled, Link moved over to the cell door and peered inside. He was soon joined by the others, who hovered outside cautiously.

The armoured figure was crouched beside a huddled, distraught figure clad in red and blue. One of its armoured hands was on the figure's shoulder in what could be interpreted as comforting. However, the man did not appear to be responding to outside stimulus.

Link recognized the scene and bowed his head slightly, moving away to let him have some privacy and quiet. Most of the others moved away with him, but the purplish creature bounced into the cell and hovered closely.

"Puff!" it exclaimed, bouncing at the man's kneecaps. After it received no response, it slowed, then looked up at the armoured figure, and back at the red-capped man. "Jigglypuff?" it cooed sadly, moving to sit on the man's feet.

The man's eyes slowly focused on the strange creature on his feet. "Che creatura sconosciuta è voi?" he whispered unsteadily.

"Jigglypuff," the creature reached to him affectionately.

He blinked for a moment, then slowly reached out and picked up the creature, bringing it to him and embracing it very gently. "Grazie. Dall'estremità del mio cuore, grazie."

The creature looked up at the armoured figure with huge, sad blue eyes. The figure understood, and left the cell. After it did, the creature began to sing quietly, and the distraught man slowly drifted into a tenuous sleep.

Outside, the others gathered wordlessly and stood, gazing at their surroundings and each other.

"I've seen that before," Fox broke the silence. "Post Traumatic Stress. He's seen something awful; I'd be willing to put money on it."

Link nodded. "I've... seen such cases, as well. All too close."

"So have we all, if I am correct," a woman's voice echoed from inside the armour. "You are warriors, are you not?"

The others exchanged glances, nodding.

"So it is," Samus confirmed. "Does anyone have any clue about why we're here, or how we came to be here?"

The response was of many voices overlapping.

"I saw a flash of light--" Fox started.

"More luminous than a star, and more fiery," Link began at the same time.

"Bright light, like the sun falling down," Ness agreed simultaneously.

"Yoshi," the green dinosaur thing squeaked, dismayed.

Kirby huffed at them, and waved his stubby arms to indicate a great force.

"So it was with me," Samus replied. She twisted the knob to her air filtration unit and removed her helm, tucking it under her arm. "But as to where we are, I cannot say. It seems we have a common kidnapper, at least. It will have to suffice that we be friendly company to each other, at least until more information is available."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes:

I am glad to see this so well received.

In this particular universe, there have not been previous Smash tournaments of any sort, so this is the first meeting of the characters.

**Chapter Three: Stolen Options**

Marth returned some long minutes later, with a look of mild puzzlement. "It's a training room," he announced without preamble. "There's seven different areas with unique terrains, blade targets, projectile targets, punching bags, traps, and pits."

"An odd prison," Link noted. "More would be clear, if we knew why we are being held."

"Is there an exit?" Samus inquired calmly.

Marth shook his head.

"Are there windows, vents, locked doors, loose panels?" Fox pressed, thinking of all possible escapes.

He glared at him. "I would have included that in my initial report, would I not?"

"Just checking all options, seeing what you check for and what you don't," Fox qualified.

"They want us in fighting condition," Link mused. "We were at the mercy of our captors completely from the time of our initial capture to the end of our unconsciousness, yet we are without major physical injury. We are held in a facility as might suggest we practice, yea, practice against one another. So one might follow that we are expected to fight for whomever has captured us." He paused to take a breath; this was more than he was used to saying, ever.

Fox nodded. "That sounds plausible."

"Speculation," Samus allowed.

Thus passed five to ten minutes, until their captor appeared to them. It was without preamble that the Master Hand materialized for them, and if it were not for the loud pop that signalled his appearance, the fighters might not have taken him to be a major threat.

"Salutations and good health," a quiet but low voice greeted them. "I hope I find you well-met."

All those with weapons had them out and at ready.

"Are you the one that brought us here?" Fox demanded.

"I will only explain this once, so I must insist that you are all here," the Master Hand ignored him, and gestured at the cell block. From the only occupied cell, an invisible force dragged the red-capped man and the purple creature he had been using as a teddy bear.

The pokemon squeaked in terror and spun around on its axis, but was unable to gain any momentum. Mario maintained a dark sort of non-expression; when the Hand released him, he stood and subtly placed himself between the captor and the captives.

The Master Hand proceeded to pace back and forth in front of them on his middle two fingers, his fore- and small fingers held behind him as if they were hands clasped behind his back. "I have gone through a great deal of trouble to collect you here, and I do hope you appreciate that. Also, I think you will appreciate my purpose. I plan on holding a grand tournament! Each of you are the best your worlds, your systems, your dimensions have to offer. This is your chance to represent your homes and to prove your worth as heroes!" He paused and gauged the reaction.

Fox narrowed his eyes and turned back his ears sceptically. "If this is such a great opportunity that we're just supposed to go along with, then why didn't you just _ask _before you stole us from our homes?"

The Hand drew himself up threateningly. "I didn't know that you'd accept. Especially given that the losers will be executed-- if they don't die in battle."

"I refuse," Link said immediately. "Kill me."

"You do not have that choice," the Hand chuckled.

"I refuse as well," Marth seconded. "You have no way to make us fight each other."

The Hand laughed boomingly at his defiant statement. "You have seen my power. I can cross dimensions, part the seas of time, and retrieve you from your homes to bring you here. I can return you hence-- but only if you win."

"If we don't win, you keep us here?" Fox deducted.

"No," Samus said quietly. "If we don't win, we don't have a home to which we may return. He destroys it."

A collective growl went up from the captives.

Link shouted savagely and leapt at the Master Hand, sword first. The Hand flickered and growled; his growl quickly turned into a laugh as he tossed the Hylian at the wall with barely a gesture. Link hit the wall-- his head snapped back against it, and he slid to the ground, landing three-point on instinct and prepping himself for another charge. A force held him motionless, however.

"Do you understand, little elf?" the Hand mocked. "I suppose you don't. Let me put this in terms you recognize." He made a snapping motion, and a very familiar princess appeared next to him, terrified.

Link shouted wordlessly again, lunging against whatever held him fast.

"Link!" the princess cried. "He's going to give the kingdom to Gannondorf!"

"How do I know that's her?" he demanded. "How do I know that's not an illusion you've constructed? Release her to me, that I may see!"

The Hand seemed, without a face to aid him, to smirk. "If I release her, she fights with you." He snapped again, and she lurched forward as if pushed.

The force holding Link disappeared, and he rushed forward to catch her in her stumble. He held her behind his shield and kept his sword trained on the Hand. "Is this truth?" he whispered to her.

She buried her face in his shoulder and made a noise of dismay. "He has Gannondorf; he kept him where he kept the rest of us. He promised that monster the kingdom, if he could defeat you."

Link paused, then laughed the haggard laugh of an old warrior. "Gannondorf? Defeat me? He hasn't even the Triforce now. He couldn't dream of it."

"Then," the Master Hand mused, "I'll let someone else kill you, and give the kingdom to Gannondorf anyway. It's rather elementary, really. You fight, or your world perishes." He seemed to regard the others. "I have leverage on you all. And for those of you whose enemies I find... tasteless... I have a way of simply destroying your world and everything in it. The only chance you have is to fight." He gave them a mocking bow, and said by way of parting, "and there can only be one winner. Do think on it. Tournaments start in two days."

And with that, he disappeared.

Link relaxed his stance and swung his sword up to its sheathe on his back, followed by his shield. He wrapped his arms around the princess and stood quietly, grateful for her presence-- letting the new information process.

Marth put up his sword next and turned to them. "I will kill you on the field of battle, for the good of my kingdom. I do apologise, but it seems it cannot be helped."

"_Sempre_. It can _always _be helped," a tenuous, yet hoarse voice insisted. The red-capped man made no move, but his hands balled into fists and his eyes narrowed. "_All-a-ways._ And you woulda turn on the righteous, so you can help your kingdom. What about theirs?" He tore his baleful gaze away from Marth and turned it on Link. "That _thing _had your princess and your enemy. It is likely he has my princess as well, and at least one of my enemies. It is likely he has your enemies and your loved ones, as well. What else can we do but fight him?"

"Fight each other, clearly," Marth reasoned with him as if he were stupid.

"At the behest of the enemy?" Link countered. "That sounds like walking into a trap, and knowingly."

The blue swordsman sniffed in irritation and wandered away from the group. "I care not for your countries. Mine must be restored."

Kirby huffed at him, then puffed up and strutted around, pretending to be Marth. The pokemon squeaked in amusement at his antics.

"Two days," Mario repeated to himself. "Due giorni. Due."

The captives spent the rest of the day-- they presumed it was day, though they had no way of knowing-- wandering about the training room, making use of the facilities, or watching Mario pace. Had his patch of ground not been made of stone, Link reckoned he might have worn a rut into the floor.

As the group came to the consensus that they were hungry, the green swordsman made his way back to that rhetorical rut to retrieve him.

"Thirteen of us. There is a bye in the first round." Mario mused aloud as Link approached.

"I suppose that is true, friend," Link allowed. "But it is now time to rest, or nearing such. Food has been sent to us, and the others are collected near the training areas. Will you walk with me?"

He paused and seemed to not hear him. "One person is out, no? None in round two, one in round three. Then there would be finals. Unless there are others. Our enemies, perhaps?"

Link gently tapped the plumber on the elbow. "Will you walk with me, good sir?"

Mario closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, then nodded, allowing himself to be led like an old man. "Yes, I... Young man, your name is Link?"

He nodded patiently.

"You are a hero, in your kingdom?"

"As are we all, it seems," he agreed politely.

Mario chuckled bitterly. "As it seems." After a moment, he leaned a little more heavily on Link's arm. "I am too old for saving the world. Even my world-- surely there are others to save it, now."

"You are not so old," Link replied amiably. "And if there were others to save your world, they would be here with us, in this prison."

His step faltered, then stopped; his eyes were as wide as saucers. "Mio dio."

"...?"

"Mio dio, Luigi." After a moment, his gaze fell and he seemed old again. "My brother; if those who could save my world are here, then he has my brother."

Link could say nothing; instead, he squeezed the older man's elbow bracingly.

Mario nodded to himself darkly. "Is... è determinato..." He began walking again, and Link could only walk beside him, and hope it was enough.

They all ate well of the bread and vegetables and drank as much water as they could; all of them had fought long before, and knew the worth of a good meal even when circumstances seemed grim. Afterwards, they walked together back to the cell block, having no other prepared space for rest or even partial privacy. It seemed like the thing to do. They spoke polite good-nights, and divided for the evening.

After a few hours, Link got up to pace off some of the nervous energy of the day. He emerged from his 'room' and walked the few yards until the metal floor turned to stone, and then to grass. There, he encountered Samus, sitting and staring at nothing.

She looked up at him expressionlessly for a moment, then a faint smile drew her face up. "Couldn't sleep, hero?"

He shook his head mutely.

She gestured to the ground nearby, and he sat with her, staring back towards the cell block, though it was far too dim to see it. "I'm worried about your woman," she stated frankly. "If she is to fight with you, she may become a hindrance."

Link laughed quietly. "The princess can fight. I have no concerns regarding her combat ability. Though it is not on the same level as mine, she is a good compliment-- she is quick where I am slow, and I am strong where she is frail."

"You have fought together before?"

He nodded.

A few moments passed. "I had not thought of the possibility of any of us fighting in pairs, before; I suppose it is possible. It is also possible we will have opponents we do not expect."

He nodded again. "Mario suggested we may encounter our familiar enemies. I know that we will likely encounter mine."

Samus sat back against her elbows and stretched, yawning slightly. "What's your enemy like?"

"Tall," Link said after a moment's consideration. "And... ugly. Poorly dressed, as well. He fights with great strength, but not much wit; and he speaks more than he fights."

"What's his main weapon?"

"He fights with magic a great deal, and sometimes with a sword. He is quite willing to transform himself through magical means. What about your enemy?"

Samus smirked a little. "The Hand would be foolish to bring my enemy here. We have little to worry about it."

A strangled shout echoed out to them from the cell block. Link stood in alarm and was about to run to the sound, but his conversational companion's hand was at his shoulder before he could.

"It is the sound of an old man's nightmare," she informed him, "Not of danger. Be gentle when he wakes, but be aware that he will likely strike at you."

Link nodded. "I have seen the like before, and..." he looked away.

"And been the dreamer," she finished for him thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose you have."

He bowed politely to her, then jogged off to the cell block.

She stared after him sadly. "I suppose you have."

Link arrived only as Zelda was waking the older man. Marth was peering from his cell, casting angry glares at having been awakened. Yoshi and the full compliment of pokemon were hovering outside Mario's cell, making it difficult to approach.

"Mia principessa," Mario cried, hugging Zelda closely and seeing nothing from his sleep-clouded eyes. "Mia speranza, ancora. Ringraziamenti sono al dio. Oh..." He released her as his eyes focused on his surroundings and he remembered his situation. "Oh, I am sorry." He blushed furiously and moved away contritely. "I..."

Zelda shushed him in a motherly fashion and patted him on the head gently. "It's quite alright. I understand."

He gave her a half-smile for thanks, then looked at the others crowded outside his cell. "I am sorry to wake you all."

Yoshi and the pokemon paraded into his cell and surrounded him quite thoroughly; the dinosaur curled up behind him and served as a back support as the other creatures found comfortable places to sleep-- mostly on his chest and stomach. The warmth combined with Zelda quietly singing a rather haunting lullaby caused him to drift back to sleep before he could summon any more expressions of embarrassment or guilt.

Zelda smiled sadly and stepped out of the cell to meet Link, as Samus approached from the other direction and Kirby continued to hover. "We are a sad lot, aren't we?"

Link said nothing, but his rueful smile expressed him well enough. He offered her an arm, and led her back to her cell. Samus and Kirby returned to their respective cells, and the night stretched quiet, after.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: the day before**

---

The heroes spent the next day was occupied in three groups. The pokemon and Yoshi frolicked amongst themselves and watched the other heroes; once, they attempted to recruit Kirby for their games, but he flatly denied them and continued training. He, Marth, Link, and Ness spent their time in the training grounds, practicing tumbling, targets, and speed. Zelda, Mario, Fox, and Samus remained on the grassy hill between their prison block and the training grounds, strategizing.

"It is unlikely that they brought my enemy here," Samus reasoned. "The only enemy I have yet to thoroughly defeat is an entire race of energy-leeches. Given that our captor seems to be a creature of energy, it would be counterproductive to bring them here."

"What about enemies you _have _thoroughly defeated?" Fox asked.

"Anyone out for revenge on you?" Zelda seconded.

She smirked. "A giant, bio-mechanical brain."

Fox felt the blood in his veins go cold. "S… say again?"

She chuckled. "A brain, with cables to connect her to a computer interface, and a giant, lid-less eye."

He ground his teeth, staring into nowhere for a moment.

She tipped her head to the side curiously. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing, I… I think we may be from the same dimension after all," he explained, smiling a little. "My enemy, Doctor Andross, managed to put his consciousness into a giant bio-mechanical brain. He had two eyes, though. Fond of lasers."

"Should we worry about running into this brain?" Zelda questioned. "Our captor said that he travels through time."

Fox and Samus shook their heads simultaneously.

"Too huge," Fox answered. "And too much of a bastard to work with anyone else."

"The Mother Brain only works for the space pirates."

Zelda hesitated, then nodded. "Just in case, what are their weak points."

"Brain stem," they answered simultaneously.

"How about your enemy?" Samus inquired.

"A brutish fellow by the name of Gannondorf," she answered with more than a little venom. "He's kidnapped me numerous times and tried to take the Tri-Force-- the sacred power of our kingdom. But Link stops him every time and together we put things right. He should be imprisoned in the Sacred Realm, now, but if the Hand travels through time, it would be possible to bring him here. He is tall, ugly, has a terrible fashion sense, and is rather fond of polymorphing himself into large beasts. He also throws energy spheres, and fights with a sword sometimes, though he is very bad at it. Especially compared to Link."

Mario and Samus shared a knowing look.

"Mario--" Zelda frowned. "It seems wrong, to call one such as you by your first name."

He regarded her sideways for a moment. "One such as me? What else woulda you like to call me?"

"Well, I sense in you a great deal of experience and wisdom," she told him. "In our land, we would call you a sage."

His eyebrows lifted considerably.

"I'm with Her Majesty," Fox agreed. "We honour our veterans-- we call them Sir when we address them. And they get a half-price cup of coffee at pretty much every diner in the system."

Samus sat back and smirked.

"I'm… I… Is it necessary?" He scratched the back of his head modestly.

"What is the word for wisdom in your language?" Zelda asked.

He was silent for a long time, looking as if he wanted to melt into the floor. "…Saggezza."

"Saggezzio Mario," Zelda pronounced in an official manner, with a gentle smile.

Mario blushed furiously. "Troppo, troppo…"

"Would you tell us about your enemy, Saggezzio?" she requested, getting his attention by taking his hand in both of hers.

"Sarei benedetti, principessa," he stuttered, still blushing. "He… He is a large reptile with a spiked shell. He has, many times, kidnapped the princess of the kingdom I and my brother protect, but all in vain. He has many sons, and they do his bidding, but they are not very intelligent and are easily defeated with blunt force. My enemy-- he is the king of Koopas-- his shell is invulnerable, but the rest of him is susceptible to fire and bludgeoning. He is slow, but his strikes are powerful and he can crush a man with a single blow." He paused for a moment, considering. "There may be a second enemy, a large ape with not very much of a brain. He is stupid, and slow, but he is strong and can take many blows."

They all committed this information to memory. Mario prompted the next strategic topic. "He… It… has my princess, and my brother. Whom might they have, of yours?"

"I was the captive to be used against Link," Zelda announced. "I saw many other prisoners, in the cell where I was kept. There was a bird-man with blue feathers, a boy with bright red hair garbed in a similar fashion to Marth, and…" Here, she turned to Mario. "And there was a woman wearing a crown and a pink dress, and a man in green who resembles you." She paused for a moment to measure the effect. " I am sorry, Saggezzio."

Mario shook his head. "I could already have supposed that bastard would take everyone he could use against me."

"Falco," Fox confirmed. "They have Falco. He's a teammate of mine. He's like a brother to me-- an obnoxious, overbearing, arrogant brother, but still."

"The boy must be some relation of Marth's, or else a dear friend," Zelda reasoned. "He did not speak at all. The bird-man Falco spent a great deal of his time shouting profanities for our captor to hear."

Fox grinned in spite of the situation.

"Your princess and your brother, they stayed side-by-side. Both told me that you would come for them. They seemed certain."

Mario smiled a tired smile. "Sempre. Always."

"Three known villains, possibility of… six?" Samus tallied mentally. "Four non-combatants."

"Falco's not a non-combatant. He'll fight if he gets the chance," Fox corrected.

"Four incarcerated allies, then," Samus amended. "There may or may not be a bye round if they throw our enemies into the mix, but for now there is no logical reason to include them. They will only be included if we threaten to not fight."

"We have to get at the Hand," Mario mused. "We have yet to see the terrain or conditions of the match, and there are no terms of the match, yet. We will have to take things as they come for the first round. Then, we will know better how to approach our enemy."

The others nodded.

"What if we come up against one another?" Fox asked uneasily.

"There are heroes I will fight, and heroes I won't," Samus answered flatly. "I will not fight any of you, I will not fight Link, and I would prefer not to fight Kirby. The animals and Marth, I will defeat."

"It will likely take all of us to defeat our captor," Zelda warned. "I would prefer to fight no one."

Samus rolled her mind's eyes. "Necessity, my lady."

"I would defeat the animals."

"Am I amongst those?" Fox jabbed amiably.

"The small ones," she corrected herself with a half-smile.

He nodded. "I guess I'm with you two. The animals and Marth."

"And what if that is not an option?" Mario asked quietly.

They sat in silence for a long while, until Samus spoke up.

"I am not so very needed in my world anymore-- not so much as you sound like you are needed in yours. I will surrender with no contest, should I meet any of you, or Link."

Fox nodded. "There are others who can take my place. I will surrender, but I'll pretend a fight, so there is no reason to destroy my home, or kill Falco."

"I will concede to anyone but the animals." Zelda told them.

"This is morbid," Fox protested, fidgeting.

"One of us has to survive long enough to get close to the Hand, and destroy him," Samus pointed out. "All this conceding is nice and all, but we need to pick someone to keep above us all."

Zelda immediately nominated her own. "Link. I trust that he can defeat this captor, given the chance."

"Saggezzio," Samus nominated. "Or myself. I have dealt with energy creatures before."

"Link and Samus are good choices," Mario agreed.

"If you make it to him… it… try and enlist the help of my teammate," Fox advised Samus. "We have seen energy-based creatures, as well."

Samus almost-smiled again. "Maybe we really _are _from the same dimension."

"So, it's settled," Zelda stated. "If there are to be choices made, then they will be made in favor of Samus, Link, or Saggezzio Mario."

"I am too old for this," Mario protested.

"You have much to die for," she pointed out, "if our captor seemed to think you would need so much impetus to live and fight."

He sighed, then stood and walked away.

The others exchanged looks of determination.

At the training grounds, Marth, Kirby, and Link sparred harmlessly with each other, and trained in targets. Marth watched, fascinated, as Link switched weapons quickly.

"Why are you trained in so many weapons?" he asked as Link switched from bow to hook-shot. "You only need one to kill a man."

Link shook his head with a wry smile. "One does not need a weapon to kill a man, only skill." He shot a target, and disengaged the hook-shot before it could pull him to it.

Marth studied the ground intently for a moment. "We only need to kill one man."

The other man said nothing.

"I… have considered all of the options," he continued in Link's silence. "I have no interest in harming those who do not threaten me. If you all are not willing to fight me, then I am not willing to fight you. I would like to free us all, rather than free only myself-- should the option exist."

Link nodded, looped the hook-shot on his belt, then drew his boomerang and busted a target with it. He looked over to Marth, reaching up and catching his returning weapon without looking.

Marth met Link's eyes for a moment, then looked away. "What shall we do?"

"Whatever Her Highness and the red man decide. My princess is a capable tactician and the red man has the experience and mind to deal with enemies such as this."

He accepted this answer. "I will cooperate in any way necessary."

"That will keep you alive longer, I think," Link told him. "I get the feeling Samus has no intention of tolerating dissenters. You're handy with that rapier."

"Longsword," Marth corrected somewhat indignantly.

"Hm. In my world, we would consider that a slauger-bladed rapier. This is a longsword." Link drew the Master Sword and held it out.

He examined the weapon and begrudgingly smiled. "It is a good sword, in any case."

"You're good with it, in any case," he admitted. "You're quick, but you're a little messy."

"What do you mean?" the blue-clad warrior wondered.

"You swing through when you should stop, and you slash when you could do more with a thrust," the green-clad warrior explained. "Hold it in supination, and extend all the way through your enemy. Don't waste energy slashing."

Thus was spent the better part of the day. Kirby soon became bored with targets and began to scrap with the animals, easily overpowering most of them. With a huff, he floated to the highest platform to keep watch. It was only when he floated down to interrupt them did Marth and Link stop their training.

Approaching them were Zelda, Samus, and Fox.

The two groups met on the grass.

"We have a plan," Zelda announced.

* * *

A note from the author: Sorry for the unplanned hiatus. I relocated five states away from my original home, so things have been a little strange. I will be returning soon, but my internet access will be uncertain. Updates as I can.


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